


The Real Me

by Fawn_Eyed_Girl, kalcia



Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Rock Band, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst with a Happy Ending, Artist-Author Collaboration, Bi Kagome, Consensual Sex, Drug Use, Emo, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Enemies to Lovers, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Journalist Kagome, Partying, Rock Star InuYasha, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-25
Updated: 2021-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-16 15:33:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,211
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29702715
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fawn_Eyed_Girl/pseuds/Fawn_Eyed_Girl, https://archiveofourown.org/users/kalcia/pseuds/kalcia
Summary: Kagome Higurashi is one of the top music journalists in the country, and her latest assignment is to write a story on one of the biggest rock bands in the world: Inutachi. She is immediately attracted to the lead singer, Inuyasha Masaki, a brooding, edgy hanyou who is battling his own inner demons. As Inuyasha and Kagome are increasingly drawn to one another, Kagome becomes more and more determined to discover just what has happened to Inuyasha that caused him to turn down such a dark path, and why she cannot seem to stay away from him.
Relationships: Higurashi Kagome/InuYasha
Comments: 65
Kudos: 74





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: We don't own Inuyasha, or any of the characters from the manga and/or anime.
> 
> Hello everyone! Wherever you are, we hope that you are safe, and doing well.
> 
> Welcome to the beginning of The Real Me, a huge story-art collaboration we have been working on for quite awhile at this point! We are really excited to share it with you, and hope that you enjoy it!
> 
> This story began as a dare. Kalcia dared me (Fawnie) to write 100k words, and I rolled up my sleeves, and said, okay!! We were both immensely inspired, and here we are, many, many words and (incredible) pieces of art later, and we are having a blast creating this!
> 
> So many people have helped us along the way in the creating of this story. [gribedli](https://archiveofourown.org/users/gribedli), [mickisketch](https://mickisketch.tumblr.com/), [NeutronStarChild](https://archiveofourown.org/users/NeutronStarChild), [Ruddcatha](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ruddcatha), and [thornedraven](https://archiveofourown.org/users/wonderwanderer) have all read and given feedback, advice, helped with plotting, helped with poses, with song lyrics, etc. We're endlessly grateful.
> 
> And a special thanks to [dreaming-of-soup](https://dreaming-of-soup.tumblr.com/). She inspired us to make this particular rock star Inu, and we are in love with him. We hope you will be too!
> 
> And of course this story would not be complete without a playlist! Check out the [Inutachi playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7bGOHjT5WxmCxpzftJ8jFr?si=4HhXT2eARXC6_i1nNlvkZw) on Spotify!
> 
> As you read through the story, I will try to note chapters that contain any CWs, but as always, please heed the tags! The first chapter does contain recreational alcohol and drug use.

The most famous arena in the world. One of the most famous bands in the world. And the crowd knew it, and they were ready: girls in tank tops, their bras in their hands, sitting on their boyfriends’ shoulders, who were more than ready to let their girls hurl lingerie at the guitarist and the bassist. Banner after banner filled the arena:

 _Shippō will you go to the prom with me?  
_ _Miroku will you have babies with me?  
_ _Inuyasha will you marry me?_

On and on and on, all around the arena, the crowd was restless, bodies packed together on the floor, standing in the seats, waving their banners and screaming the names of their favorite band members. Of the band.

 _Inutachi._ _  
__Inutachi.  
_ _Inutachi._

The chants grew louder and louder; when the lights dimmed momentarily, the crowd immediately began to lose its shit, then broke into a chorus of boos when the lights came back up. But it was only a few minutes, and the audience burst into frantic cheers again when the lights went down and the banner above the stage faded into a magnificent projection screen, which reflected the stage below. Laser lights shot out over the crowd, then drew back towards the stage, where they faded into spotlights on the drums, keyboards, and microphones, and the crowd absolutely started to lose its collective mind.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” came the booming voice of the PA announcer, “please welcome back to the Garden… Inutachi!”

One by one, the band members jogged out to take their positions: Shippō Midori on the keyboards first, then Sango Akari on the drums, then Miroku Aoi on the lead guitar. As each member crossed the stage, the roars got progressively louder, and louder, and louder.

Because they knew who was next.

The most famous hanyō in the world.

His silver hair pulled back from his face in a series of three small French braids that cascaded down his back, his bangs slicked back, his tattoos just barely visible under his long-sleeved black shirt, the sleeves pushed up just a bit, a black choker and his signature kotodama necklace hanging low. His jeans ripped, his black Converse colored in on the rubber soles, he jogged out to the stage, picked up his bass, and gave it a quick tune. 

And the crowd roared. They roared, for Inuyasha Masaki, leader singer, bassist, and wet dream for women and men of _all_ ages, everywhere. 

[ ](https://kalcia.tumblr.com/private/644129373778313216/tumblr_cKXLeyMz6JZi8vqsZ)

Artwork by [kalcia](https://kalcia.tumblr.com/)

* * *

Inuyasha walked up to the mic, the bass dangling from his neck, and shouted in his signature gruff, impossibly sexy voice, “HELLO NEW YORK!” The crowd roared its approval, and Inuyasha promptly snapped up his bass and pounded the first chords to their latest hit. Sango was next, slapping her drumsticks together then beginning to play, moving effortlessly across her kit with her hands and feet. Shippō was next, his keyboards lending to the beat and melody, tuning perfectly with Miroku’s lead guitar, who came in last. Inuyasha turned to the mic, and began to sing. His voice was clear and effortless, and carried the range of notes perfectly. The crowd shrieked, and started to sing along; when they hit the part of the song where the music dropped out, Inuyasha dropped his bass, grabbed the mic, and leapt across the stage to Miroku; when the two of them began singing side by side, instruments dangling, the entire crowd went crazy, yelling and screaming as the two hottest men in music harmonized together. 

_Sitting in the club on a Friday night  
_ _And I’m bored out of my mind  
_ _I see you dancing like it’s just for me  
_ _And I got to be by your side…_

Backstage, Kikyō Kimura stood, headset on, surveying the entire scene, finding fault with just about everything. Inuyasha’s bass was a little too loud; the feedback from Miroku’s guitar was a little too much; Shippō’s keyboards were too soft. She was talking in low tones with Jinenji Hasegawa, the band’s roadie, and Ayame Okamoto, the sound director. Ayame raced off to the sound board to try and fix the music; Kikyō’s eyes followed her suspiciously. 

Kikyō sighed. Everyone around her, from the band, to the sound engineers, to the tech people, to the PR team...everyone was a failure. One of the biggest bands in the world, and they couldn’t seem to get a sound team to match the caliber of the music. No matter how hard they tried.

“They look good out there,” said an unfamiliar voice behind Kikyō.

Kikyō turned, and frowned at the petite woman standing behind her. Her long, dark, wavy hair was pulled back into a high ponytail; she wore a black tank top and cargo pants, the bottoms of which we tucked into cherry-red Doc Martens. Her dark blue eyes watched the band intently; she had a small pad with a pen attached to it in one hand, and her phone in the other. Her lanyard carried a VIP pass, but Kikyō had never seen the woman before in her life.

“Kagome Higurashi,” the woman said, juggling the items in her hands and holding out one for Kikyō to shake, which she did, disdainfully. “I’m here to follow the band, interview them, and write a profile piece for _Zeitgeist_. You are?”

“Kikyō Kimura,” she murmured. “The manager.” Kikyō knew exactly who this Kagome Higurashi person was. She would have rather had literally any other journalist in the industry come and cover her band, but _Zeitgeist_ had insisted on sending Kagome, who they called their “best journalist.” But Kikyō knew: “best” meant “expose,” and the last thing she needed was an expose on Inutachi. Nope. The longer she could keep this band under tight wrap, the better. 

But with Kagome Higurashi on the job, that was going to prove to be a nearly impossible task.

* * *

Kagome followed Jinenji, the large, but gentle and kind hanyō who was also incredibly strong, and thus perfect for the laborious tech work of a band like Inutachi, down the hall to the band’s green room. She had been fairly impressed with what she saw on stage; Kagome had been to a number of concerts in her life, and been backstage for at least half of them, so she knew a well-oiled machine when she saw one. The Inutachi team was such a machine. The sound engineers worked flawlessly with the roadies; when Miroku and Inuyasha changed out their instruments for acoustic ones, the transition was seamless; when Sango did her drum solo, the sound was loud and reverberated throughout the arena. But this was the most famous concert venue in at least the States, if not the world, and Kagome had honestly expected nothing less. 

And she had to admit, she was _kind of_ excited to spend three weeks traveling with the band, getting to know their routines, their lifestyles, their music. She was already a decent fan of their music, and she was curious to know more about the band members, especially the lead singer, Inuyasha Masaki. She didn’t know why, but she was _drawn_ to him...even before the story had crossed her desk. For some reason, every time she saw him on television, in music videos...as she scoured his Instagram (for research purposes, of course), she was compelled by his face, by his voice, by his personality (gruff, yet sensitive and thoughtful). 

Until Kagome’s assignment, Kikyō Kimura had been notoriously tight-lipped about her band, and extremely protective. She didn’t let journalists near the band, save for junkets where she was able to control the questions. It was a well-known rumor that she and the lead singer, Inuyasha Masaki (the hanyō who’d "taken the world by storm," as was often said about him), had engaged in a tumultuous affair that had left Kikyō a bitter and hard woman, and had left Inuyasha Masaki...well, no one really knew, actually. Kikyō still kept a tight leash on him after the supposed breakup; perhaps even tighter, for some reason. 

But Kikyō couldn’t keep the journalists away for long. The record label needed to market the band, and part of marketing was interviews, stories for magazines, and the like. So Kikyō had been forced to allow _Zeitgeist_ to send a journalist to write a cover story, one that would culminate in the band’s upcoming performance at the annual Climate Change charity concert in LA. One that they would be headlining, along with Kōga, one of the biggest solo rock stars in the country, and Inuyasha’s hated rival.

Kagome nearly rubbed her hands together with glee as she stood outside the green room door, waiting for Jinenji to get the okay to let her in. Secrets, drama, old-fashioned music rivalries...she was gonna write the _hell_ out of this. 

She was gonna write the _hell_ out of Inuyasha Masaki’s story. 

At last, Jinenji opened the door and allowed Kagome to enter. She stepped inside, and looked around. Sango and Miroku were sitting at a table, close together, holding hands and whispering (so _that’s_ how it was with them, Kagome immediately noted); Shippō was lounging across several chairs, talking loudly on his phone and drinking a beer. 

And there, on the opposite side of the lounge, leaning up against a wall, was the man himself: Inuyasha Masaki. 

[ ](https://kalcia.tumblr.com/private/644129403457126400/tumblr_WD9vDGpsY0y4PaXSc)

Artwork by [kalcia](https://kalcia.tumblr.com/)

* * *

He was tall, taller than Kagome had expected; she was used to rock stars seeming massive on stage, but he had to be well over six feet tall in real life. He was still in his concert clothes, his silver braids and hair falling forward over his shoulders in a wave. Several leather bracelets dangled from his wrists, and Kagome could see his famous kotodama around his neck. He was leaning forward, and she could see that he had a joint between his fingers. She watched, slightly fascinated by the way his long and lithe fingers (that played the bass so freaking well) maneuvered the joint expertly, then brought it up to his lips. He produced a lighter from his pocket, lit the end of the joint, then took a nice, long hit. He looked up, saw Kagome standing awkwardly in the middle of the room, and walked over to her, his golden eyes darkened, and she blushed for a moment, but pulled her shit together. No matter how handsome was...no matter how much she was immediately attracted to him...he was a story. 

He was _a story_. 

When he reached her side, he looked down at her, and she looked up at him, her eyes firm and solid. She crossed her arms over her chest. She knew what was coming.

Inuyasha sneered, then blew a massive puff of smoke right in her face.

Yup. _Exactly_ what was coming.

Inuyasha Masaki? Maybe the hottest man on the planet.   
But also? Biggest fucking ass.

His golden eyes, still darkened with what Kagome supposed was anger, looked her up and down, slowly. “I don’t take fucking groupies,” he snarled. “Get the fuck out.”

“Maybe she’s not here for you, Inuyasha,” Shippō chirped from his seat in the back. 

“She sure as shit isn’t here for you, runt,” Inuyasha snapped. He turned back to Kagome. “You got a VIP pass,” he said, nodding at her chest, which Kagome noticed his eyes lingered on for a second too long, but she was determined not to blush. “Who the fuck are you? You’re no groupie.” He took a drag off his joint and glared at her, hard, his eyes widening momentarily before narrowing again. 

Kagome took a chance and held out her hand. “Kagome Higurashi,” she said confidently. “ _Zeitgeist_. I’m here to…”

“You’re the bitch the magazine sent over to interview us,” he groused. 

“To write a _cover story_ on you,” she corrected.

“Same fucking thing,” he muttered. He took another hit, then held out the joint. “Ya want some?”

Kagome seriously considered taking him up on his offer. If it meant that she could get closer to the band…

“Not tonight,” she said instead, dropping her hand. “I just got here from LA, and the time change has already made me wonky enough.”

To her surprise, Inuyasha chuckled. “Fair enough, HIgurashi,” he said. He turned around and went to the fridge. “Beer?’

“Now that I can handle,” she said, relieved. He snagged her one and tossed it to her; Kagome caught it, and he nodded. Inuyasha looked at her approvingly before grabbing a beer of his own. 

“You’ve already met Shippō,” he said, gesturing to the keyboardist, who scowled at Kagome but waved. “And over there are Miroku and Sango, our resident happy fucking couple.” Miroku and Sango looked up; Miroku gave Kagome an encouraging smile, but Sango glowered and tugged Miroku back into their conversation. Inuyasha turned and looked at her, grinning. “So, Higurashi,” he said, “Not too much to see here. A little hentai kitsune—”

“I am not, you fucking pervert!” Shippō shouted.

“—And your fucking rock god fairy tale come true,” he added, nodding at Miroku and Sango. “So not terribly interesting.”

“And you,” Kagome pointed out. “What about you?”

“Me?” Inuyasha glared at her. “Keh, I’m just a bassist in a rock band.”

“You’re a _hanyō_ who is the lead singer in one of the biggest bands in the world,” Kagome said as gently as she could muster. “And that’s the most important thing in the world right now: acceptance, diversity, peace.”

“Well you’re just a big ol’ fucking ray of sunshine, aren’t ya, Higurashi,” he sneered. “I’m telling ya. You won’t get much here. So you might as well just…”

“Inuyasha.” Kagome and Inuyasha whipped their heads around to see Kikyō in the doorway; Kagome didn’t miss how Inuyasha growled and nearly took a step back.

“Kikyō.” His voice was lethal. He took another hit off his joint and then a big swig of beer. “What the fuck are you doing here?”

“I _came_ to congratulate my band on a successful show,” Kikyō said smoothly.

“You _came_ to try and peg me, Kikyō,” he snapped. “And it’s not gonna fucking work.” Inuyasha took a hit, and blew it right in Kikyō’s face. She merely stood there, like he did this every single day, and sighed. 

“I see that Ms. Higurashi has been shown into the room,” she said, turning to Kagome. Kagome smiled and nodded. “I’m still not pleased with you being here,” Kikyō said to her with pursed lips, “but I suppose that while you’re here, we can all make do.”

To Kagome’s surprise, Inuyasha slung an arm around her shoulders and leered at Kikyō; Kagome’s body betrayed her with a shiver that started at where he touched her and traveled the whole length of her body. She saw his eyes widen for a moment, but his face settled back into a sneer, as if he were fighting whatever he felt when he touched her, too. “That’s right, _Kikyō_ ,” he said silkily. “Ms. Higurashi’s gonna be with us for the next few weeks. So, we might as well enjoy it and enjoy _her_.”

Oh. So _this_ was what was going on.

“I’m quite happy to be here, Inuyasha, Ms. Kimura,” Kagome said. She shoved Inuyasha’s arm off her, the connection broken, and he scowled and skulked away into the corner again, his braids flouncing as he went.

Kikyō glared at Kagome. “Don’t get too close to him,” Kikyō said. “He’s one of the most talented musicians in the world, but he’s also an asshole. Don’t forget either part of what I just said.” She turned to Miroku and Sango. “Can I talk to you two? In the hall?”

Sango and Miroku got up; Sango glared at Kagome again before following Kikyō out. Miroku smiled at Kagome, said, “Hey,” and when she said “Hey” back, he nodded and followed Sango, leaving Kagome alone in the room with Inuyasha and Shippō.

Kagome looked at the two, trying to decide where to push her luck. She was already pretty sure that Inuyasha was just going to use her to make Kikyō jealous, so she decided to go sit with Shippō instead.

“Hey,” she said. “I’m Kagome Higurashi.”

Shippō had just hung up his phone and was pouring himself a glass of whiskey. “Inuyasha,” he yelped, “you want one?” When Inuyasha grunted, Shippō poured a second drink, then handed it to the hanyō. Inuyasha accepted with another grunt, then returned to his corner, his golden eyes glowing as he watched Kagome closely.

“Shippō,” he said. “You know all about me already.”

“A little,” Kagome said. “But that’s kind of why I’m here? To get to know you better.”

“So you can write a story about us,” Shippō retorted. Kagome didn’t miss the ice in his voice.

“Yes,” she said. “But part of the reason I’m sticking around for so long is that I want to make sure that the band has a say in how I write your story. _If you read my other work_ ,” she added, shooting a look in Inuyasha’s direction. He scowled right back and downed the rest of his whiskey, then crossed the room to have Shippō pour him another drink, which the kitsune did gladly. “You’ll notice that authenticity is part of my goal. It’s why I’ve won awards. I’m not here to create a bias, or to bullshit. I’m here to tell your story, and I promise that we’ll work together to make the story you want told too.”

“I bet that’s what you tell everyone,” Inuyasha shot from across the room. Kagome rolled her eyes. Shippō glowered at her.

“Fine,” Kagome said, “fine. Google me. See what you think. And we’ll talk.” She stood up. “I’m gonna be here for the next few weeks,” she said. “You better get used to me. I’ll see ya tomorrow.” Kagome rose, and gave them both a wave. She set her beer down on the table, and left the room.

Inuyasha and Shippō looked at each other. “So whose idea do you think it was?” Shippō asked. “Letting a journalist in here to ‘watch us’ like fucking kids?”

Inuyasha shrugged. Kagome Higurashi...wasn’t quite what he was expecting when they were told that the journalist was going to be following the band for a few weeks and writing a cover story. Okay, so he’d totally expected a male, and someone a little older, not someone so, so…

Inuyasha growled and downed the rest of his whiskey. He slammed the glass down on the table. “More, runt,” he grunted, and Shippō was only too happy to obey. 

Because they were both annoyed at the sudden intrusion into their world; they were both irritated that they had to invite an outsider in, someone who would be following them for the next few weeks. Inuyasha growled softly and tugged at his braids, thinking more about Kagome Higurashi.

Fuck. When she’d walked into the room, when she went up to him and introduced herself, he’d been so bowled over by her scent he nearly swooned. He hated to admit to anything, but her scent? Vanilla and lavender: soothing and relaxing. His youki had started reaching for her, like it fucking knew her or something. And then, as soon as she got close to him, he wanted to either bury his face in her neck or run in the other direction. She…

Inuyasha growled and shook his head. _No_. There was nothing about her that attracted him to her. Except…

Except that she seemed to piss Kikyō off.

Inuyasha chuckled. Anything...any _one_ that seemed to piss Kikyō off was someone he wanted on his side, for sure.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kagome reviews what she knows about Inutachi the band, and about its lead singer, Inuyasha Masaki, in particular. Later, a visit from that very person leaves her with more questions than answers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: We don't own Inuyasha, or any of the characters from the manga and/or anime.
> 
> Hello everyone! We hope that wherever you are, you're safe and doing well.
> 
> Welcome to the next chapter of The Real Me! In this chapter, you'll get to learn a little bit more about Kagome, Inuyasha, and the band. AND Kagome gets more than she bargained for when Inuyasha shows up at her door.
> 
> CW: This chapter contains mild sexual content, recreational drug use, and alcohol use.
> 
> We hope you enjoy!

[ ](https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1h-00JvodHkrvyY9LHLQsdMyf2JPD03x5)

Artwork by [kalcia](https://kalcia.tumblr.com/)

* * *

Kagome arrived at her hotel dehydrated and exhausted. It had been _a day_. Her luggage was behind the front desk; when she got there and gave her name, the receptionist smiled, slipped her some paperwork, and waited for her to sign it. She handed Kagome a room key, then walked Kagome’s suitcase around and handed it off to her. Kagome smiled back, and proceeded to the elevators. 

Once on the elevator, Kagome sighed, and leaned her head against the wall. She pressed her floor number, and closed her eyes as the elevator went up...up...up. She paused for a moment to think about her day.

First, as soon as she heard that she’d been given the assignment, her boss insisted that she hop on the first flight from LAX to JFK so that she’d get to New York in plenty of time for Inutachi’s show. They knew she was coming (supposedly), and they would have all the necessary paperwork and materials ready to show that she was, as a the journalist assigned to follow the band, a VIP. She’d have backstage passes to every show; she’d have whatever she needed.

Her plane leaving LAX was (of fucking course) late. The car that the band had “supposedly” sent for her? Didn’t show up. (She suspected Kikyō Kimura on that one.) She hired a taxi, dropped her bags off at the hotel, told them she’d be back later to check in, then got back in the taxi to go downtown to the arena. When she got there, apparently _no one_ knew she was coming, and she had to make a million phone calls and yell at several different people (including her boss; Totosai would never forgive her for that, she was sure, unless she delivered something award-winning) to get her credentials. By the time she made it into the actual venue, the show was just starting, and she had to make her way backstage on her own, only to be greeted by the dour manager, who, Kagome knew, was oh-so-thrilled to see her. Like the rest of the band.

Like Inuyasha Masaki.

Kagome hurled her suitcase onto the bed and opened it up. She took out her toiletries, as well as a tank top and a pair of shorts. She was determined to forget about him for the night. She was determined to forget about his dark golden eyes that seemed to burn from within; she was determined to forget about his long silver hair and his adorable dog ears that poked out from among the braids; she was determined to forget the piercings that had been clearly apparent, and the tattoos that she could see peeking out from beneath his shirt sleeves. 

She was determined to forget the way that her body had responded to him when he touched her. Like his body had been calling to her, and hers was calling, right the fuck back.

Kagome unpacked the rest of her suitcase, hanging most of the items in the closet, and putting her underthings and workout gear in the drawers. She tended to travel light, and buy clothes if and as she needed them. She’d learned a long time ago that it was impossible to pack for every occasion, and so instead, it was better to pack for no occasions, and buy as needed.

But tonight, she was not going to buy anything. Tonight she was going to take a hot bath, and maybe wash her hair, and watch some bad television, like _Untold Stories of the ER_ or something like that. No brain power. No thoughts of music, bands, or sexy, annoying lead singers who exuded machismo and asshattery and blew smoke in her face. 

Kagome ran the bath, dropped in a bath bomb (she packed light, but always carried at least one until she could find some wherever she was), and stripped and threw her hair up into a bun. She sank into the tub and closed her eyes, feeling the hot water lap at her skin and the fizz from the bath bomb tickle it. 

As she lay there, soaking in the tub, the stress of the day melted away, and she allowed her mind to drift to the research she’d done on Inutachi. The band had formed eight years ago, and all the original band members were still active. They had played clubs and small venues for several years, and then rocketed to fame on their third album, which had a slew of hits attached to it (something like six #1 hits on various charts; unheard of for one album). They were incredibly prolific, had just released their fifth studio album, and were apparently getting ready to release a live album and a concert DVD. This was all according to her boss, but Kagome figured from how the sound engineer was rushing around that night, they were getting ready for something big. Live album and concert film sounded about right. 

Kagome shut off the water and dampened a washcloth, then laid it over her face for a moment. The heat felt good; her skin was exhausted after a day of traveling, and the hot wash cloth was as good as a massage and a facial. When it cooled, she took it off, set it aside, and retrieved her phone from the side of the tub, opening up her notes and looking through them.

What else did she know? Shippō Midori: Inuyasha’s adopted son and the band’s keyboardist, he was adorable and known for being pervy and a little handsy, especially with pretty young women. Kagome sighed, glad that she didn’t fall into that category anymore at 32. She’d worked hard to get where she was; she’d had a series of shit writing jobs in the industry before her position at _Zeitgeist_ , and was proud of herself and of her work. No big awards yet, but they were coming. 

And this band, Inutachi? They were the key.

Kagome’s mind moved onto Sango and Miroku next. They were totally inseparable and totally impenetrable; as far as Kagome could discern, it had been like that since the beginning. Miroku and Inuyasha’s friendship went way back; they were the original founders of the band. They brought in Shippō next, but then had trouble finding a drummer they liked. Kagome had read an interview with Kikyō where she said Sango came in and blew them all away; Kagome could certainly see how that might be the case. Miroku and Sango got together not long after that, but both wanted to be in the band, so that meant other things, like marriage and children, would have to wait.

Of the three, Kagome thought that perhaps she could work with Miroku. He might be a place to start. With Shippō, she could hold her own and maybe earn his respect if she could hang with him (which she could). Sango? She wasn’t great at making friends with women to begin with? So hopefully that whole thing would just take care of itself.

[ ](https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1h-00JvodHkrvyY9LHLQsdMyf2JPD03x5)

Artwork by [kalcia](https://kalcia.tumblr.com/)

* * *

And that just left Inuyasha Masaki. Bassist, lead singer, social media darling (or notorious social media maniac, depending on how one perceived it), beloved by fans, but definitely a headache for his public relations people. Kagome opened up her Instagram app and searched for his IG posts; as part of her research for work, she followed several hundred musicians, and “tachi_my_inu” (as he called himself on Instagram) was not only a massively popular account (with more than ten million followers), but it also showed some...interesting...aspects of Inuyasha’s life.

[ ](https://drive.google.com/drive/u/4/folders/1pmmBTAEXBGCA0sJ2xLgMca1OdnGELfYD)

* * *

[ ](https://drive.google.com/drive/u/4/folders/1pmmBTAEXBGCA0sJ2xLgMca1OdnGELfYD)

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[ ](https://drive.google.com/drive/u/4/folders/1pmmBTAEXBGCA0sJ2xLgMca1OdnGELfYD)

Artwork by [kalcia](https://kalcia.tumblr.com/)

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Kagome recalled that it was about six months ago that the change in his IG account took place; he went from posting pics of himself and his bandmates (him eating ice cream on a beach was her personal favorite) or selfies (the one with him in the airport, that self-satisfied smirk on his face, was droolworthy—even she could admit that). But then, about six months ago, Kagome had noticed a change in his account, starting with a dick pic showing his _very_ nicely-sized penis, complete with a piercing (which made Kagome shiver with both fear and arousal), and a comment about his half-demon penis being “good enough.” The post was later taken down, but it didn’t matter: it had been screenshotted and distributed across the Internet within minutes, and if you looked up “Inuyasha dick pic” on Google, it was still the first image you would see. 

[ ](https://drive.google.com/drive/u/4/folders/1pmmBTAEXBGCA0sJ2xLgMca1OdnGELfYD)

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[ ](https://drive.google.com/drive/u/4/folders/1pmmBTAEXBGCA0sJ2xLgMca1OdnGELfYD)

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[ ](https://drive.google.com/drive/u/4/folders/1pmmBTAEXBGCA0sJ2xLgMca1OdnGELfYD)

Artwork by [kalcia](https://kalcia.tumblr.com/)

* * *

That change was coupled with a slew of tabloid photos that started after a concert in Miami. Inuyasha had been seen partying outside a series of nightclubs; he hadn’t bothered to wear his concealment charm, and so was easily recognizable to _everyone_ : women, men, bartenders, drug dealers. Paparazzi. He was photographed inside said nightclubs, drinking, snorting coke, putting whatever he could into his body. He was photographed urinating outside a prominent club, giving the photographer the finger as he pissed. The photographs permeated social media for several weeks, after which point they seemed to quiet down, even though the dark Instagram posts continued.

[ ](https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1h-00JvodHkrvyY9LHLQsdMyf2JPD03x5)

Artwork by [kalcia](https://kalcia.tumblr.com/)

* * *

That change had been the main reason Kagome had been able to push her boss in hopes that she would be the one to have a chance to interview the band. She wanted to know: what happened to Inuaysha Masaki? What made him flip a switch? Why had he gone from someone so apparently sweet and loving, to someone so angry, someone so alone? To someone who would share pics of himself and Shippō, grinning before concerts, one minute, and backlit selfies that didn’t show his face and quoted song lyrics the next? 

Kagome paused on that one. The way his head hung low, the way his ears were pinned back, the way his entire body posture called out with pain, and with agony, and with hurt, it pierced Kagome’s heart. It made her want to reach out to him, to comfort him, to make him feel better.

She needed to know: what had happened to Inyuasha Masaki? What made him the way that he was? What changed, and why? 

Finally, she had the opportunity to find out.

A loud rap at the door brought Kagome out of her reverie. “Whoever it is, they’ll go away,” she murmured aloud, and closed her eyes again. A second series of knocks, harder and more insistent, sounded this time, and Kagome groaned audibly, tore the washcloth off her face, and dragged herself out of the tub. She wrapped a towel around her body; she left the water, because she had _every_ intention of going back to the tub. The knocking on the door continued; Kagome changed quickly into a hotel robe, and, in her haste, forgot to check the peephole. She threw the door open, and her mouth dropped.

“Well, well,” said a most familiar, most _unwelcome_ , gruff voice, “ya didn’t have to get all undressed on my account.”

His hair was still pulled back in braids; his ears poked up through his silver hair, twitching as he took her in. His golden eyes were glistening amber, and slightly unfocused. He wore a black tank top; Kagome could see he had tattoos lining his arms; in particular, her eyes were drawn to a large one just below his left shoulder. It was a giant paw, with massive claws, that looked like it had torn through his skin, with blood dripping around the edges. It was...grotesque, but also beautiful? Kagome couldn’t stop staring at it.

Couldn’t stop staring at _him_.

Inuyasha saw where her eyes were directed, and he laughed. “I got more than that, _Ka-Go-Me_ ,” he leered. “ If you let me in, I’ll show you.”

Kagome leaned into him, just slightly. He smelled of cigarettes, and alcohol. Whiskey. Beer. He pulled a joint out of his pocket and lit it in the hallway, taking a hit.

 _Oh my GOD. He’s gonna get himself arrested. And me_.  
 _Fuck. There goes my evening of bad television._

“Here,” Kagome said irritably. She reached out, grabbed his arm, and yanked him inside.

“What?” he said huskily. “You can’t wait to get me into bed?”

“No, you _asshole_ ,” she hissed, “you can’t smoke pot in the middle of the hotel hallway?”

“And why the fuck not?” he snapped, striding over to the couch and flopping himself down. “What’s anyone gonna do to me?”

“Arrest you, for starters,” Kagome muttered. Inuyasha emitted a soft growl; clearly he had heard her. She stalked over to the liquor cabinet and opened it, looking at her options. She pulled out a small bottle of vodka, and a Diet Coke, and proceeded to mix them together into a small glass that was on the dresser. She stirred it with her finger, and took a big gulp.

“Ya got some for me?” he asked. Kagome didn’t miss how his voice slightly slurred.

“You’ve had enough for one night,” she told him. “Me, on the other hand? I need _this_. To deal with _you_.”

He laughed and leaned back against the couch. “You’re gonna need more than that to deal with me, _Ka-Go-Me_ ,” he said, turning his intense gaze directly on her.

“Damn fucking right I will,” she said quietly. 

“What was that?” he asked, even though he knew _exactly_ what she had said, and he wasn’t too thrilled. 

“Why are you here?” she asked, turning around and leaning against the dresser. Inuyasha exhaled; _fuck_ , she was fucking delectable. Her blue-black hair was falling from her bun in soft tendrils; her blue-gray eyes were steely as they held his gaze. Her full, rosy lips were slightly pursed, because she was judging him; he had seen that look many times before, even though with her, he wasn’t quite sure _why_ she was judging him. It wasn’t because he was a hanyō; that he knew. What could it be?

But best of all, the thing that was making it hard for Inuyasha to sit in any position without bringing attention to the fact that his cock was rapidly betraying his rising desire for her, was her robe. Her plush, white robe had fallen open, and all Inuyasha could do was stare at the cleavage that had revealed itself to him. Her beautiful, glorious cleavage. From what he had seen earlier that evening, and now, she was well-endowed, and he found himself longing to bury his face between her ample tits and lap her up. 

His youki, once again, was purring, slipping out and wrapping around her: he could actually fucking _see it_ , and as far as he knew, his youki had _never_ done that before, with _anyone_.

Not even Kikyō.

_Fuck._

_Why_ exactly had he come to her hotel room?   
He couldn’t remember. All he could think about were her tits, and that robe, and what was beneath that robe... _no_.

What _wasn’t_ beneath that robe. 

Before he knew it, he was on his feet, the joint dangling between his fingers. He wanted...what the fuck did he want?

“Inuyasha.” 

When did she get so close to him? Did she _know_ what her scent was doing to him? What her breasts, out there and shining in the light of the hotel room, were fucking _doing to him_?

“You...you should go.” Her breath was coming in short, quick pants. Her scent was laced with ginger and lemon now, on top of the vanilla and lavender. And those scents were growing.

Holy. Fuck.

Was she just as aroused as him?

“I—I don’t know why I came here,” he stammered. Fuck. He was usually more suave than this. Too much whiskey and pot. God-fucking-dammit.

“Then you _definitely_ need to go.” Was that her hand on his chest? Was she pushing him?

“No. Wait.” He grabbed her wrist and yanked it upwards, making her robe fall open even more and _oh fuck_ he had to stifle a groan.

She looked up into his eyes, and saw the strain in his face. She glanced down, saw that her robe had fallen open, and tried to shake herself free of his grip. When he wouldn’t let her go, she clutched her robe closed with her other hand. 

“You’re—you’re very close,” she whispered. 

Close. He was _so close_. _Too close_ for her to think straight, or do anything else, but clutch at her robe and gaze into his golden, glowing eyes. She...why was her entire being calling out for him to touch her, taste her, _be with her_?

“You came to me,” he pointed out, a fang poking out and pressing into his lower lip. 

_That_ did it. _That_ irritated Kagome beyond anything else that he had done.

“ _You_ came to _me_ ,” she huffed. “ _You_ knocked on _my_ door. _You_ let yourself in. _You’re_ holding _my_ wrist.”

He looked down at his hand, still circling her wrist, and back into her face. He was incredibly attuned to her breath—how it was short, and fast; he was attuned to the way that her chest was heaving, even through the now (dammit!) closed robe.

“You’re right,” he purred. “I _did_ knock on your door. And I _am_ holding your wrist.”

Kagome leaned into every ounce of who she was to not roll her eyes and/or smack him across the face with her free hand. Instead, she tried again to shake her hand free, her entire being torn between anger and lust.

“You’ve got me,” she said, her voice weirdly husky (when had it gotten like _that_?), “so what do you want to do with me?”

Inuyasha leaned forward so that his breath was hot on her neck. She could smell the whiskey on his breath; she could practically see herself gleaming in his piercings. She braced herself for what was coming; ready to hit him as hard as she could (in his face and in his nuts) if he tried anything.

No matter how much he was making her entire body sing at that very moment. 

She could _not_ let him know this.

Because she was _tired_ , and did not have time for this shit. For the back-and-forth that she knew was going to happen if she let him come any closer. For the fact that she was already falling prey to his ministrations.

But as Inuyasha leaned into her, he was overwhelmed with her smell—that lavender, vanilla, ginger, lemon—like a delicious tea that was balm for his nerves. A tea perfectly made for his youki. And like a tea, he had to...he had to taste it.

He had to taste _her_.

With his free hand, he parted her robe just enough so he could have access to her collarbone. She sucked in a breath; the tension in the air crackled. He buried his face in her neck, gave a good, long inhale, and paused.

“Just what in the hell do you think you’re…”

He silenced her when his tongue rolled out of his mouth, and he pressed the pad into the hollow just above her clavicle. He gave her one long, luxurious lick, starting there, and working all the way to just behind her ear. 

Kagome shivered, despite all her instincts screaming at her not to. Because he felt good—hell, he _looked good_ —and Kagome was now actively fighting against all her senses, which were telling her to say _fuck it all_ and jump him _._

But as quickly as it started, it was over; Inuyasha pulled away from her, smacking his lips voraciously. “Fuck,” he said, “you taste good.” He let go of her wrist and sauntered back over to the couch, where he flopped down and spread his arms across the back, then spread his legs wide, letting her get a _good_ look at the fact that he was _very much_ at attention at that moment. He grinned, that fang poking out again, and looked up at her. 

“Seriously, though,” he said heatedly, “you’re fucking delicious.” He patted the seat next to him; when she shook her head, still trembling from the memory of his tongue on her, he grinned even more broadly.

“S’okay,” he said amiably, but Kagome could hear the strain in his voice, as much as he tried to hide it. “I’ll take a rain check.”

“Why—why are you _here_?” Kagome finally burst out.

“Kikyō,” he said immediately, “hates your guts.”

This was news to Kagome, although… “She did seem a bit...frosty,” Kagome said. “I thought that’s just how she is.”

“Oh,” said Inuyasha, “it absolutely fucking is. She’s a fucking ice queen, and we’re her frozen subjects.” He grunted and gestured at the vodka. “If you don’t mind.”

Kagome turned, shrugged, and snagged the bottle off the table. She poured what was left into the other glass, and asked “Diet Coke?” When he shook his head no, she handed him the glass. 

She was _drinking_ with Inuyasha Masaki. _The_ Inuyasha Masaki. Drinking and...he had _licked her._

It was hard to keep the heat from rising in her body. To keep away from him. To keep from touching him. 

“Thanks,” he said, accepting the glass from her. Her scent was...changing again, to that gingery lemon scent. 

Fuck. He loved it.

“Kikyō is...our manager,” he said instead ( _way to get a boner under control_ , he thought dryly), “and she’s a mega-bitch. Icy, frosty, a drill sergeant, the nastiest woman you’ll ever meet.” He paused and took a drink, then pointed a finger on his drink hand and waved it at Kagome. “You need to be careful.”

“Why do _I_ need to be careful?” Kagome asked, crossing her arms and pushing her breasts up in the robe. Inuyasha’s youki howled, and he nearly drooled, but he kept his shit together. _Remember why you’re here_ , he told himself.

“Because,” he said, “because she’s built us into her own little empire, and she’s always been able to deny the media stories like this. Interviews? Sure, if she’s able to control the questions. But this? A full-on story? With a journalist who’s gonna follow us around?” He laughed and kicked his feet up before taking another swig of vodka. “Kagome Higurashi,” he said, grinning and hooking a finger at her, “ _you_ are Kikyō’s worst nightmare.” He chuckled again at her confused face.

“Then why would Kikyō ask me to come here?”

Inuyasha patted the seat next to him; against her better judgement, she sat down, but not too close to him. She eyed him cautiously as he watched her every move approvingly. But when she didn’t scoot closer, he huffed, drank more vodka, and kept talking.

“I would bet that she used her most disdainfully polite voice when she talked to you on the phone,” he guessed.

She shrugged. He was quite possibly right.

“The order for this story came from the record company,” he told her. “The higher ups demanded it, actually. And so Kikyō hired the person she thought would do the shittiest job and make sure the band never had to do this again.”

“But _why_?” Kagome asked.

“Control, Kagome,” Inuyasha said. “The control she lost when...The control she loses every time I do this.” He paused to relight his joint, take a hit, and then downed the rest of the vodka. He offered the joint to Kagome before he got up to refill his glass, and fuck, with what had just happened? With what he was telling her? She took it. Inuyasha watched her as he got more liquor out of the cabinet and poured it. His face was expressionless as she took a hit, closed her eyes, and let the THC caress her body. It had...been awhile.

She opened her eyes and handed the joint back to Inuyasha, who had returned to the couch with both his glass and the fresh small vodka bottle (along with two bottles of whiskey) in tow. He accepted it and took his own hit. They sat there for a bit in silence, passing the joint between them; the tinkling of their glasses as they set them on and off the coffee table, as they refilled them with first vodka, then whiskey, was the only sound.

Kagome was thoughtful. There were so many questions reeling through her head; so many that she needed to have answered. But the pot was helping her focus, and was numbing her attraction to him, until at last, she had only two questions she needed to know immediately.

“Inuyasha?” she said, and he turned to her, his golden eyes gleaming and strangely open.

“Why don’t you fire her?”

He looked...odd. “She’s the best,” he said in a strangled voice, but that’s all he would say. Kagome narrowed her eyes slightly, but decided that she would drop that one...for now.

“One more question,” she said. He looked at her inquiringly, one eyebrow raised.

“Why are you telling me this? Why did you come here, to tell me to watch out for Kikyō?”

Inuyasha leaned forward; she could feel his breath, and she shivered. “Two reasons,” he whispered. “One. I fucking hate her. She hates you. That makes us allies. And, two…” He crossed the distance between them, supported the back of her head, and crushed his lips to hers, biting down with his fangs so they pierced her bottom lip.

Kagome gasped; he was so hot she could feel his burning through her robe. Without thinking, she pressed herself into him; he was all hard muscle and his body practically dripped with desire. When she moaned slightly, his tongue invaded her mouth; it swiped over her teeth and wrapped itself around her own tongue. 

She...it was...holy _fuck_.

 _More_. Her body was _crying_ for him.

But, just as soon as it started, Inuyasha pulled back, and stood up, leaving Kagome shuddering on the sofa. He looked down at her flushed face, her mussed hair, her now _very_ open robe (fuck, he was _so close_ to seeing her nipples), and grinned.

“Kikyō doesn’t own me,” he told her. “No matter what she thinks.” His gaze traveled over Kagome’s form; she nearly moaned from the lust in his eyes.

“Plus,” he added. “I Googled you. You’re a good writer. You don’t deserve the shit she’s gonna try. So...write your story, Kagome Higurashi. I’m not gonna stand in your way.” He went to the door, opened it, and looked back one last time at her, fighting all his instincts to go and fuck her immediately. He passed through the door, and closed it, leaving Kagome on the couch, a very wobbly, very confused, very _aroused_ , mess.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The fifth IG art by kalcia (Inu with the dark background) features lyrics from the Arctic Monkeys song "Do I Wanna Know?" It was released in 2013, and written by Alex Turner, Jamie Cook, Nick O'Malley, and Matt Helders.
> 
> Inuyasha has offered SOME answers to Kagome, but ultimately leaves her with more questions--like WHY is she so attracted to him, for starters? We look forward to bringing you more to this story at our next update. Thanks, everyone, so much, for reading!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Inuyasha dreams about a certain lovely journalist who has made her way into his life. Later, Shippo plays a prank on Inuyasha and Kagome, with...interesting...consequences.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: We don't own Inuyasha, or any of the characters from the manga and/or anime.
> 
> Hello everyone! We hope that wherever you are, you're safe and doing well.
> 
> Welcome to the next chapter of The Real Me! We hope that you enjoy it!
> 
> CW: This chapter has mention of alcohol and recreational drug use, and sexual content. As always, please heed the tags!

The sun was shining, its warm rays tickling his wet, naked skin. Inuyasha tilted his head back to rest on the edge of the pool, letting the warmth soak him further. 

The pool on the hotel roof was completely deserted at this time of the day; everyone was down in the restaurant enjoying their all-inclusive lunch. There was no one to disturb his rest, and _fuck_ , he needed it. 

Last night’s performance had taken more out of him than he expected. His mind wandered back to the journalist that had joined their tour. How her hips swayed when she walked, how her hair escaped in flyway curls from her ponytail, how her eyebrows knitted and her nose scrunched when she was annoyed. 

How she made his youki purr and call out for her. 

How he’d gone to see her, because _fuck_...well, he still wasn’t quite sure why he’d gone, only that she smelled so fucking delicious, and Kikyō hated her so fucking much...it was like he couldn’t stay away. Then, they’d talked, and drank, and smoked, in her hotel room, and she had been so... _fucking sexy and daring_...he hadn’t been able to help himself. Her divine taste; her divine scent; her divine lips. He’d licked her, and kissed her, then left her, aroused, against his better judgment—all his instincts were telling him not to be a fucking asshole to her. But even as he left, even as he tamped down that feeling of arousal, he had to admit that her lithe little body had lit something in his soul that hadn’t been ignited in a long time.

 _How her hips swayed…yes…_ He chuckled to himself. _That was it._

"Something amusing you?" A soft voice came from behind him, making him jump. He had been too preoccupied to notice anyone joining him at the pool. But now that his senses were back, a strong scent of vanilla and lavender hit his nose.

Inuyasha turned his head around to see Kagome looking at him, dressed in a short, silky white robe, and carrying a white towel. He watched as she dropped the towel onto a lounge chair, and then slipped the robe off her shoulders and down her body, leaving her only in a very skimpy-looking red bikini and revealing more of the delectable body he’d seen glimpses of the night before. He swallowed loudly. 

"Keh," was his only reply as he turned away, hiding the blush that crept up his cheeks. 

The sound of water splashing made him whip his head to the side. He saw Kagome lowering herself right next to him: her thighs, her hips, her stomach, all flashing by him, then disappearing under the water. Her breasts, barely covered by her bikini top, swayed gently with every move. 

"C-cold…" she whispered. Inuyasha's eyes were glued to her breasts; he couldn’t stop staring, especially not now that he saw little pebbles start to poke out through the fabric.

"Y-yeah," he lied: he felt hot. Too hot. 

He moved his hands from where they were resting behind him on the edge of the pool to play with his fingers in his lap, under the water. 

He was glad his lower half was hidden under the water. He felt like a teenager again, and he did not like that feeling one bit. His body was... _reacting_...to her in ways that he wasn’t quite prepared for, but didn’t exactly dislike.

Kagome scooted closer to him, resting her hand on his upper arm. He could feel a jolt of electricity hit his nerves at her touch. Her delicate fingers brushing his skin. Suddenly, she was straddling him; he felt her breasts pressed against him, hardened nipples digging in. 

He wanted to stand up, pitch her off him, and run away, but he couldn't. He was frozen to the spot, his dick growing hard. He wanted to touch her so badly.

"Inuyasha," she whispered, her hot breath tickling his neck. Her hand moved to his chest, then slowly further down, over his abs. He could feel his muscles tensing. As her hand traveled even further south, a low growl escaped his mouth. _Lower…Lower…_ his mind kept repeating, but her hand never reached its destination. 

* * *

Inuyasha woke up with a start. He quickly sat up, sweat dripping down his neck. He looked around, trying to gather his bearings. 

_Yeah_. He was in his hotel room.  
He fell back on his pillows with a sigh.

"Dream, huh?" He closed his eyes. Inuyasha knew there was one thing that was the same as in his dream as it was when he was awake, and that was his raging hard-on. He reached down under the sheets, pushing them away to run his fingers down his shaft; of course, he slept nude—it gave him easy access whenever he needed to relieve some tension.

A soft sigh escaped his lips.

"Ah, what the hell," he muttered. He trailed his fingers over his cock, giving it a light stroke and enjoying how that felt, before fisting it and slowly increasing speed. 

Soon he was pumping his dick hard, stroking the precum up and down the shaft, soft grunts escaping his mouth. Images of Kagome in that bikini danced behind his eyelids: he could see her breasts, her hips, her plump lips. His mind egged him on, treating him to pictures of her lips kissing his chest and her hands traveling south to his cock, just like in the dream. He could feel her breasts brushing his stomach, and then his straining erection. He then imagined it was Kagome's hand on his dick, pumping him, looking up at him from where she was on her knees. And then her tongue darted and licked his tip.

Inuyasha came with a loud moan, spilling himself on his stomach. A soft grunt came out of his mouth as he slowly descended from his high.

"Well… that was quick," he chuckled humorlessly, grabbing his shirt that was laying next to him on top of the covers. He used it to wipe himself before throwing it on the floor. He really didn't care about it.

Inuyasha laid in his bed, and planned on staying in said bed, but then his phone started ringing. He growled angrily and rolled to the side to grab it from his nightstand. 

The name displayed on the screen made his eyebrows furrow.

"What!" he spat.

"You have 10 minutes to be down in the restaurant," said a familiar, cold voice before hanging up.

"Fucking Kikyō," Inuyasha whispered before slowly crawling off his bed and stumbling towards the bathroom.

He turned the shower on and moved to the sink. He glanced at the mirror. He looked like shit.

Last night, after the show, before he went to go see Kagome, he had been drinking and smoking with Shippō, as per usual; he couldn’t remember, but he thought that there may have been some pills involved as well. 

The dark circles under his eyes spoke volumes; he also noticed that he hadn't even bothered to take out his braids last night. 

Inuyasha sighed and started undoing his braids, fighting with especially annoying knots.

"So much hassle, why do I even do it?" he muttered at his reflection in the mirror.

 _Cause you look awesome_. The voice in his head spoke confidently, and he smirked.

* * *

Kagome had been around a lot of bands, from just covering shows in her early days, to interviews as part of press junkets, to now, when she got to cover the top bands in the industry. Yes, she’d been around a lot of bands, and seen a lot of things, but even she had to admit:

She had _never_ seen anything like Inutachi.

Over the next few days, she joined the band on their bus, traveling from city to city, and she both saw a lot and very little. And that was one of the many things that surprised her.

First: the _a lot_. Inutachi were almost always together. Shippō and Inuyasha, Miroku and Sango. And even though there were little factions, no one seemed to mind these factions; instead, they were like one family, with a mom (Sango), a dad (Miroku), and two boys (Inuyasha and Shippō). Kagome was fascinated by the family-like dynamics that existed among the bandmates: after a show, Miroku and Sango would hang out in the green room for a while, then leave together, usually holding hands or Miroku’s arm slung around Sango’s hips. Inuyasha and Shippō would stay, sometimes for a half hour, sometimes for hours, shooting the shit, drinking, smoking. On off nights, they would go to a club; Miroku and Sango sometimes going with Inuyasha and Shippō, but more often than not, it was just Shippō and Inuyasha (or “the two boys,” as Kagome often called them), Kagome trailing along after them, eager to watch their interactions with the public.

She noticed, though, that not a lot of people even paid attention to who they were. And that was because both of them wore concealment charms. Inuyasha’s was kept in his fanged necklace that he almost always wore around his neck; Shippō’s was in a leather bracelet he wore on his wrist. Kagome was always astonished at the transformations that took place. For Shippō, his fox ears became regular ears, his tail vanished, his feet became regular human feet (and not cute little fox feet), and his hands lost their claws. He kept his hair and eye color, though.  
  
Inuyasha’s transformation was much more extreme. He lost his ears, his hair turned from silver to black, and he lost his fangs and his claws. Kagome would have a hard time keeping track of him in a crowd if it wasn’t for Shippō, whose appearance stayed largely the same. And Inuyasha, while he didn’t try to lose her, definitely didn’t try to let him keep up with them, for sure. 

Those nights were usually raucous, with Inuyasha buying shots, or taking out the molly he’d scored mysteriously, somewhere between the end of the concert and the night out. Kagome was never really sure how drugs made their way into Inuyasha’s hands, and Shippō was definitely reticent about it. She didn’t really care? But, she did want to make sure the drugs he was buying were at least relatively safe (no PCP in the marijuana, for instance). Without knowing the source, though, it was hard for her to do any backtracking. So she kept a respectful distance, and watched for any signs that they might be in distress as they partied. She knew they both had demon blood in them, but still...there had to be a limit to what even their bodies could take.

And even though Inuyasha wore his concealment charm, he was still exceptionally, ridiculously hot, and he and Shippō never failed to have a constant bubble of people around them. Kagome watched carefully as Inuyasha flirted back, leaning in, whispering in their ears, touching their arms. He bought them drinks, but never kissed them, never touched them inappropriately, never took the opportunity to leave with them. Instead, he would simply flirt, one eye on Kagome, making sure she saw everything, and one eye on Shippō, making sure he didn’t get into any trouble.

It was clear to Kagome that this was some kind of a test: he was watching her, watching him, trying to see what he could get away with, trying to see what she might call him out for. And really, if Kagome were going to say _anything_ , it would be about the drugs, and the alcohol, and not the girls. Because he didn’t touch any of them. Not really; not to the point where Kagome could even remotely call him a player.

That translated into pre- and post-concert activities at the venues, too. Kagome noticed that night after night, the green room was empty: no groupies, no celebrities coming to see them...just the band, alone. When Kagome asked Inuyasha, he smirked and said, “Why? Are you volunteering to be my groupie?” and she was so pissed off she stormed over to Sango and Miroku and asked them the same question. Sango glowered, and intimated that girls were not allowed backstage because of _Miroku_ , while Miroku blushed and said that Inuyasha had ordered that there were to be no girls, before or after shows, because he was a quiet guy and liked to focus on his work.

However, Kagome often wondered if that was true. During concerts, Inuyasha was a maniac: an untamed stallion, galloping across the stage, ripping his shirt off, screaming “Can’t hear ya, bitches!” at the top of his lungs, the sweat running down his chest, collecting in rivulets at the dips and curves of his muscle, his “Inutachi” wrist band flinging sweat as he played. 

[ ](https://photos.google.com/u/1/share/AF1QipMeErhUNL2ZHF3seNwELcLiJjRgDR7Nji9F98EtVNRIyduSjmPKncHNNZ5UmR9-QQ/photo/AF1QipMQvDrbj8yzjKOWIbY5EXI4Hl3dNACbTjKg-4zn?key=YzdlRnFWZ25OZm1OWktxVkdKZnpmUHdvWG9KT2lB)

Artwork by [kalcia](https://kalcia.tumblr.com/)

* * *

He was...sexy, charming, and wildly talented on stage. Kagome found that she couldn’t keep her eyes off him. He was...impressive...in his tight black jeans, his black boots, and especially in his black skirts and leggings. On the one hand, she’d seen so many musicians, pulling so many antics like his, before. But on the other hand, there was something so earnest, and pure, and honest, about his performances...something she hadn’t expected. It was like when he was on stage, connecting with his bass, with his bandmates, with the crowd...he was…

Well, shit.

He was really, truly, free, and happy. 

The grin on his face as he shouted to the audience, the way his fingers danced over the bass guitar, the way he sang, his voice pure and strong and ringing...it was the most effortless, and the most joyful, performance, that Kagome had maybe ever seen. The way that he gave of himself on the stage, the way that he accepted the crowd’s love and enthusiasm? Like he needed it, in the worst way.

It made Kagome wonder: what had happened in his life, to make him so needy for the attention, but also, to make him so enthusiastic in giving that love right back?

She felt like she _had_ to know about all of him: not just his gorgeous, sculpted body (which she had already had a taste of, and _hello_ , she wanted more); and not just his music. No. She wanted to know all about him: his favorite movies, if he liked to work out (she would bet her entire bank account that he did), if he liked the ocean at sunset, if he ever stargazed. 

If he would like to do any of those things with her.

At the times when her focus lapsed, she would concentrate on her daily mission: watching the band. During the day, though, while the band relaxed, practiced, showed up for soundcheck, etc., doing her research was much harder. Kagome felt like she got a lot more material out of watching the band on stage, backstage, or out at clubs. Because when they weren’t doing much, they were kind of...boring?

But Kagome especially loved Inuyasha’s interactions with Shippō. They went to clubs, but also, during the day, they ate, they swam, they worked out, they teased each other relentlessly. Kagome had discovered through her research that Inuyasha had adopted Shippō, years before. Their relationship was more like brothers than like father and son, however. They were so similar in mannerisms that sometimes Kagome believed they actually _were_ related, which she knew to be impossible. And when she tried to ask Shippō, or Inuyasha, they would simply scoff and make a snarky comment about the other as they flounced away.

Then one morning, about a week into Kagome’s shadowing of the band, she was heading down to the gym to get in a workout, when she ran into Shippō in the hallway outside the pool.

“Oh! Hey, Kagome,” said Shippō. He was obviously out of breath. 

“Hi, Shippō,” Kagome replied, surprised. 

“I—how are you?” He was not meeting her eyes, and Kagome was immediately suspicious.

“Fine, Shippō,” Kagome answered. “Is there something I can do for you?”

“Ummm, yes!” Shippō exclaimed. He fumbled around in his shorts pocket, and pulled out a key. “Here,” he said, pressing it into her hand. “This is the key to Inuyasha’s room. 1425. He’s at the pool, and he told me that he forgot his sunscreen, and demanded that I go get it.” Shippō turned his big green eyes on Kagome, who felt her heart melting, just a little bit. Who was Inuyasha to make poor Shippō do anything?

“And he’s at the pool now?” Kagome asked.

“He is,” Shippō said. “And if I don’t come back with the sunscreen, he’s gonna be so mad, Kagome. But I…” he dropped his voice. “I _really_ need to go to the bathroom. Do you...do you think you could grab his sunscreen for me?”

Kagome sighed. Here was a chance to get in good with Shippō; she knew this. At the same time, though, the last thing she wanted to do was rifle around in Inuyasha Masaki’s room, looking for sunscreen.

A little grunt pulled Kagome back; Shippō was pale and clutching his stomach.

“Of—of course I’ll help!” Kagome said quickly. “1425, you said?”

“Y—yeah,” he groaned. “Thanks, Kagome! I owe you one.” And as Shippō stumbled off to find a bathroom, Kagome trudged back to the elevators, so she could go up to Inuyasha’s room. 

The whole elevator ride up, Kagome fretted. Was she doing the right thing? Was it worth rummaging around in someone’s room—in a fucking _rock star’s_ room—to try and get the in that she needed? 

_He’s not going to be there,_ she told herself. _You go in, you get the sunscreen, you get out. Super easy_.

The elevator pinged, and Kagome stepped out into the hall. She followed the signs for 1425; it was at the end of the hall; maybe a suite?

Whatever. _Stealth, Kagome_ , she thought.

Kagome put the key in the slot and opened the door into a living room, with a kitchen and a large television. It wasn’t as fancy as Kagome was anticipating, but it was definitely nicer than her room. She stepped in; the scent of smoke and booze hung heavy in the air. 

“Sunscreen would be in the bathroom,” Kagome thought to herself. There were two closed doors towards the back of the room; one of them _had_ to be the bathroom, she reasoned. Kagome walked over to the first door, pressed down on the handle, and walked into the room. 

What she saw made her gasp, and gape, unable to move _or_ cover her eyes.

There, sleeping on top of the covers, was Inuyasha. _Naked_.

Kagome let out a squeak. Holy fuck, he was _beautiful_ : his long silver hair flowed around his body, his arms, muscular and covered with tattoos, were folded up, his hands buried beneath his pillow. He was sleeping on his stomach; his delts and his back muscles were taut, even as he slept, the massive tattoo on his back stretched out beautifully. His ass—what?—was like two perfectly sculpted mounds of clay; they gave way to his muscular thighs and calves; then, Kagome could just make out the claws on his feet. 

Her entire body went taut at the sight; she felt a mad rush of desire for him...to crawl on top of him...to take him…

 _No, Kagome_ , she told herself. _Take all that crazy lust for his ass and tamp that down. Now_.

As Kagome struggled to bring herself under control, she tried to assess the situation she suddenly found herself in. How...how could Shippō not know Inuyasha was here? Unless...unless…

“Do you see something ya like?” came the saucy question from the direction of the bed.

Kagome jumped, and looked up. There, lying on his side, was Inuyasha: his elbow was now resting on the mattress, propping up his torso, and _all of him_ was on display for her to see.

[ ](https://photos.google.com/u/1/share/AF1QipMeErhUNL2ZHF3seNwELcLiJjRgDR7Nji9F98EtVNRIyduSjmPKncHNNZ5UmR9-QQ/photo/AF1QipPwFQcTkHjuQUz0btqJgNIKfTVwm5dc8yzyFeMQ?key=YzdlRnFWZ25OZm1OWktxVkdKZnpmUHdvWG9KT2lB)

Artwork by [kalcia](https://kalcia.tumblr.com/)

* * *

He was hard, and long, and magnificent in circumference. A line of trimmed silver hair started below his belly and worked down towards the base of his shaft, behind which Kagome could just see peeking out two beautifully shaped sacs, partially hidden from the soft curls down there. And he had that piercing, right through the head, through his urethra, and it looked both incredibly painful and sexy as fuck. Kagome found herself getting aroused just looking at him and she needed to _tamp that shit down_.

“Wh—what?” she asked, completely distracted.

Inuyasha’s grin got bigger (if that were even possible). “Do ya see something you like, Kagome?” he asked her again, more slowly. 

Kagome breathed in, and out, and looked hard at him, taking in his complete form and trying to help herself stay grounded. 

“Not really,” she commented sharply. “I prefer my dicks rock-hard, not flaccid.” And she turned around, gathered herself up, and out of the bedroom and towards the door as she heard Inuyasha laughing behind her.

She was going to fucking _kill_ Shippō.

“Wait, Kagome!” Inuyasha was up, and running after her, a towel draped loosely around his hips, his body still taut, sending Kagome reeling. “Wait.”

He turned, one hand still clutching his towel, but Kagome could see him through the towel and _fuck_.

She paused when she got to the hotel door. She turned, and there he was, standing behind her, tucking the towel ends in and securing them solidly. “Can—can you tell me what you’re doing here?” he asked her.

Frantically, Kagome searched her mind. What _was_ she doing there?

“I—I—” She _really_ couldn’t remember.

She felt his hands on her shoulders. His hands were gripping her lightly; he didn’t want her to go, that much was clear.

“Didya want something?” he asked, one fang pressing into his bottom lip, a smirk settling on his face.

“Shippō,” Kagome breathed. “Shippō...he...told me you left your sunscreen here…”

Inuyasha dropped his arms from her sides and clapped them to his thighs. He began to laugh...hard. “Well, shit,” he said in between gasps, “shit. That little asshole! Fucking playing pranks on us…”

“What do you mean?” asked Kagome, the rage starting to build back inside her.

Inuyasha suddenly stopped laughing, and stood straight up. Kagome felt her body temperature rise as she took him in: his wide, open grin; his bemused golden eyes, which were rapidly darkening; his piercings, his tats, his bulging biceps, and his sculpted abs. She imagined her fingers reaching out, touching his chest, running her fingers in every dip and every ridge of his torso. She bit her lip so hard she drew blood, but she didn’t care. She needed…

She needed to get herself under control.

“You’re bleeding,” Inuyasha said suddenly, and Kagome noticed that his voice was raspy, husky, like _he_ was having a hard time controlling himself. “Fuck, Kagome, am I really that bad you had to bite yourself to keep from getting sick?”

“No,” Kagome blurted out, then immediately crossed her arms over her chest and looked away. She couldn’t look at him anymore; not when he was half-naked, and she knew what was under that towel—something she was dying to find out how it felt inside her, piercing and all. “No,” she said, in a (hopefully) much calmer voice. “I’m fine. It was….an accident.”

 _Lame, Kagome, really lame_ , sang her inner voice.

Inuyasha’s eyes suddenly glowed hungrily. “You know that when a dog demon sees a woman in pain,” he said, stepping forward, “his instincts demand that he help.”

“Oh?” she challenged him. “And what do you know about instincts?”

Inuyasha pressed her to his torso, and lifted her head back. “Is this a journalist question,” he whispered, “or is this a Kagome question?”

“I don’t know what the difference is,” she murmured. “But if you don’t want me to print it, I won’t.”

“Good,” he breathed. “Because I keep my instincts reserved for the most special women.” And he leaned forward slightly, darting his tongue out, and running it along her bottom lip. He paused at the sight of the bite, and latched on there, sucking lightly, clutching her to him. 

The thought of the last time Inuyasha kissed her was nearly too much for Kagome, and she moaned softly. Inuyasha took that opportunity to detach from her lips and slip his tongue into her mouth. And just like last time, Kagome keened and nearly collapsed from the pleasure. He swept his tongue across the roof of her mouth, then back down and around her tongue, drawing it out, begging it to come play with his. Kagome couldn’t say no; she could only say: 

_Yes_.

Before she knew it, she was falling, falling, and then was caught up in his strong arms, which laid her gently back onto the sofa. He straddled her, his towel falling open slightly, his dick pushing on her belly. He was hard, and she was hot, and all she could think about in that moment was fucking him. 

His lips were nibbling on her ear, her cheek, her neck...His hands were tugging at her t-shirt, trying to lift it over her head. Kagome moaned again, palming his chest, tugging on his hair as it fell forward. Her hands ran through his hair and came to rest on his ears; she massaged them gently, then gave them a little tweak when he growled with pleasure and worried her neck so hard she was gonna have a mark and she found that she didn’t give a _fuck_. His hands found their way under her shirt; when he discovered that she had a sports bra on, he growled again, this time with frustration, and he yanked down the zipper and shoved the cups aside so that he could find her breasts. He teased her nipples between his claws and the pads of his fingers, and when she moaned again and pulled on his ears, he smirked, and pinched them, nicking her breast with the claws on his right hand.

His eyes flashed red, and he knew what had to happen next.

Inuyasha bit down on her neck, hard, and Kagome cried out loudly. She saw stars behind her eyelids; her insides became a puddle as she orgasmed and pushed herself onto his dick. Her body was weeping for him; her soul was burning for him; her mind was a blank as she acknowledged that he owned her.

“Nah-ah-ah,” he said teasingly into her neck. He detached his fangs and licked the spot where he had bitten her. He stood up, allowing the towel to fall completely, and strode into the bathroom, Kagome gasping and breathing heavily on the couch, her panties and her leggings soaked. When her vision stopped swimming, she saw him standing over her, grinning madly and holding out sunscreen.

“Can’t keep Shippō waiting, you know,” he said, his golden eyes twinkling.


End file.
